Suction cleaner



June 30, 1942. H. B. WHITE SUCTION CLEANER Filed Nov. 18, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Harryfl While V A TORNEY June 30, 1942. H. B. WH lTE SUCTION CLEANER Filed Nov. 18, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fiarzyfi White W M ATTORNEY Patented June 30, 1942 amen SUCTEON CLEANER.

Harry B. White, North The Hoover Company,

corporation of Dhio' anton, Ohio, assignor to North Canton, Ohio, a

Application November 18, 1939, Serial No. 305,058

16 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in suction cleaners and more particularly to means associated with the dirt filtering and collecting functions of a suction cleaner for compressing the dirt and litter within a receptacle provided especially for the purpose and intended thereby to increase the dirt storage capacity of the cleaner and promote less frequentemptying of the dirt receptaclel Those familiar with suction cleaner operation are aware of the fact that a large part of the dirt removed from rugs and carpets is composed of lint and carpet fiber which collect in a flufiy mass and hence susceptibleof compression within a suitable container.

Therefore theobject of the present invention is to provide means for compressing or compacting the litter discharged into a filter bag and which ordinarily is allowed to accumulate therein until emptied.

The present disclosure contemplatesthe usual arrangement of a filter bag carried by the cleaner handle and having an inlet opening for the dirtladen air from the fan chamber, but with the addition of a separate and somewhat smaller imperforate receptacle communicating with the filter bag through a suitably sized opening, at which point is located a compacting member operating continuously or periodically to force the dirt through the opening into the receptacle and to pack it tightly therein.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated a preferred embodiment of a dirt compacting device and including a reciprocating compacting element actuated by a mechanism deriving its motivepower from the swinging movement of the handle as the cleaner is maneuvered, over the carpet surface being cleaned. Referring to the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a general view in side elevation of a suction cleaner more or less standardin its construction and design and embodying a dirt compactor;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the cleaner showing the actuating mechanism for the compacting member;

Figure 3 is a detail taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of the gearing used to transmit the reciprocating movement of the handle to the compacting member.

The cleaner comprises in general, a carriage I supporting a nozzle casing 2 having a downwardly facing suction mouth and a cylindric casing 3 having limited rotation about a horizontal view in cross section as transverse ax1s and located centrally of the carriage and immediately behind the nozzle casing 2.

The cylindric casing 3 includes a fan chamber at one end, the remainder of its length forming a, housing for the motor which drives the fan within the fan chamber. The fan chamber communicates with the nozzle casing through a suitable passage opening into the fan chamber at one end of the casing 3, said fan chamber also having a discharge or exhaust passage 4 which.

takes the form of a rearwardly extending radially disposed conduit to which is suitably at--' tached the lower end of a hollow extension or conduit 5 terminating at its upper end in a relatively short handle 6.

Carried immediately below the hollow conduit 5 is a filter bag 1 preferably of a porous woven fabric, the upper end of the bag having an inlet opening adapted to be removably attached to an elbow-like connection 8 at the upper end of the conduit 5.

As clearly shown in Figure 1, the lower endpf the bag is open arid its marginal portion clamped around an annular metal frame 9 suitably supported from the underside of the exhaust conduit 4. This frame 9 includes an internal funnel-like section 911 opening directly into the upper end of a metal receptacle II! which is' suitably fitted and secured withinthe space beneath-the discharge conduit 4 and between the rotative casing 3 of the cleaner and the frame 9.

The receptacle I0 is considerably smaller than the filter bag and when completely filled with I I mounted in axial alignment with the discharge opening at the lower end of the funnel-like section 9a of the bag-supporting collar 9. As shown,

thecompacting member consists-of a cylindric' shell of light metal having a diameter slightly less than the discharge opening to the receptacle I0 and having its lower end closed by a circular head I la recessed a short distance inwardly from its end with its projecting edges preferably. serrated to form saw teeth capable of exerting a clawing action on the mass of litter as it is worked downwardly toward the discharge. opening to, the receiving receptaclelfl. The plunger H is preferably housed within an enclosing casing or cylinder I2 open at its lower end'and providing a cavity inwhich the plunger may reciprocate freely, being carried at the upper end of a plunger rod l3 extending parallel with but offset from the plunger and supported for end-wise formed just beneath the exhaust conduit-by de-' pressing the top wall of the receptacle l relative to the throughout its central portion.

Considering now the mechanism for imparting a reciprocating movement to the compacting member I I, Figure 2 shows in detail its mounting casing 3 and to the exhaust conduit 6. The lower end of exhaust passage or conduit 4 is of substantially the same width as the fan chamber but immediately thereabove diverges quite abruptly until it assumes the somewhat flattened rectangular contour shown in Figure 3. But to preserve the symmetry of design, the V-shaped space that would otherwise be left between the inner diverging side wall of the exhaust conduit 4 and the other end of the casing 3 is closed by a wall segment I5 flush with the top wall of the exhaust conduit 4. This wall segment is mentioned for the reason that it carries on its underside the gearing which transmits the power developed by the swinging movementof the handle to the reciprocating compactor.

The major portion of the gearing is journalled in bearing standards supported upon a base plate It fastened to the wall segment l5 and having driving connection with a relatively fixed gear sector I! carried or supported upon the carriage I which, as already pointed out, supports the casing 3 including the handle and filter bag. The

gear sector ll, of something less than 90 degrees extent, is anchored at one end to one of the side frame members of the carriage I and is ofiset ratchet type, sothat when the driving shaft [9 is rotating in one direction, the shaft 22 is driven .through one of the beveled gears 24 and when the driving shaft I9 is rotating in the opposite direction, motion is transmitted to the driven shaft, the purpose being to convert the reversing rotary motion of the driving shaft H to a onedirection rotation of the driven shaft.

' Thus, as clearly shown in Figure 4, each of the driven beveled gears 24 carries an integral ratchet wheel on its back face and pinned or otherwise over the carpet surface,

inwardly a short distance from one side thereof.

The main portion of the sector ll thus extends upwardly and around substantially the rear half section of the casing 3 in concentric relationand in close proximity to its outer' surface. finally, the gear. sector I! is formed with its teeth along one edge and ofiset radially outward a short distance from the main body of the sector and facing laterally and inwardly from the near end of the casing 3.

Meshing with the gear sector I! is the primary gear of the. gear train which moves bodily with the ,rotative casing and handle assembly and which will'now be described in detail with reference particularly to Figure 4, which shows some of the gear elements separated in order to more clearly bring out the manner -in which an alternating rotary movement is converted into a continuous crank motion to operate the recirprocating compactor. with the gear sector i1, said pinion being mounted on a stub-shaft l9 journalled ina bearing standard 29 and carrying at its opposite and rear end a beveled gear 2i. Extending at right angles to the stub-shaft i9 adjacent the beveled gear 2| is a secondary or driven shaft 22 supported at its ends in bearing standards 23, 23.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 22 and meshing with the beveled gear 2lis a pair of opposed Thus, a pinion I8 meshes And beveled gears 24, 24% so arranged that they rotate V in opposite directions.

Although these beveled gears 24, 24 are loose on the shaft 22, they are alternately connected a pawl 21 and a. pawl spring fixed to the shaft 22 immediately adjacent each ratchet wheel is a plate 23 supporting on its face v 28 acting to hold the pawl in engagement with the peripheral teeth of the ratchet wheel 25. These clutches are reversed in their result that as the driven shaft I9 is rotated in alternately opposite directions by the swinging movement of the casing and handle assembly, the shaft 22 is driven in the same direction by one or the other of the beveled gears 24, being connected with the driven shaft ciated clutch mechanism.

Thus, it follows that when the handle is being action with the swung in a downwardly direction, as when the cleaner is being maneuvered forwardly over the carpet surface, the shaft 22 is driven through one of the beveled pinions 24 and, when the handle assembly is being swung upwardly during the return or backward movement of the cleaner power is being transmitted to the driven shaft 22 through the other beveled pinion 24, although the driven shaf continues to rotate in the same direction. Now, fixed to the driven shaft 22 at its innermost end is a crank arm 29 and, connecting the outer end of this crank arm with the adjacent end of the reciprocating rod 13 carrying the compacting member H, is a connecting rod 30.

From the foregoing description, it will there'- fore be now apparent that as the cleaner is maneuvered forwardly and rearwardly over the carpet surface, the swinging movement of the handle imparts a continuous rotary movement to the crank 29 through the action of the gear train just described, thereby'imparting a reciprocating movement to the compacting member II and which in turn, functions continuously while the cleaner i in operation to force the dirt and litter into the receiving receptacle l0. Manifestly, the gearing which actuates the compacting member might be considerably simplified and still provide a very satisfactory arrangementrrFor example, the alternating rotary movement of the gear sector I! might be transmitted directly to the crank arm 29 with perhaps some intermediate gear reduction so that the compacting member would complete one stroke during each complete swinging movement ofthe handle. With such a movement, the crank arm 29 would simply rock back and forth through an angle which would be of swing of the handle and this would in turn impart a reciprocating movement to the compacting member. However, it is to be noted that with such a simplified arrangement the reciprocating movement of the compacting member would not be uniform inasmuch as the swinging movement of the handle is not always constant and in practice may vary considerably with the manner in which a particular operator maneuvers the cleaner. This explains the advantage of introducing a system of gearing which will impart a uniform reciprocating movement to the compactpawl and ratchet. Q

through its assoproportional to. the angle receptacle seats.

the promotion of means including a communicating with filtering receptacle through a relatively restricted 60 cleaner-operated pacting member to force the dirt from the filter suction-creating means,

ing member, although it does not negative the possibility of adapting a simplified although perhapsless uniform driving mechanism for the compacting member.

In any case, the continuous or intermittent action of the compactor causes the dirt and litter to be forced through the restricted opening at the lower end of the filter bag and thence into the receptacle N where it is tightly compressed and packed until filledto capacity, whereupon the receptacle ill would be removed by releasing suit able clamping members 3!, 3| carried by the re ceptacle and engaging the lower flanged edge of the frame 9 against which the open end of the.

Manifestly, as the receptacle becomes filled, the operator will be warned by the resistance offered to the otherwise free swinging movement of the handle by the inability of the compactor to force any more of the dirt into the receptacle.

As hereinabove intimated, the advantage of a mechanically operated compacting device is first, the desirable achievement of keeping the filter bag fairly free of dirt, thus making available a maximum filtering area and consequent diminution of back pressure upon the fan and second, the equally desirable feature of being able to operate the cleaner for a longer period of time without having to remove and empty the bag.

Having set forth a preferred, although not necessarily the only practical embodiment of the invention, I claim:

1. In a dirt-compacting device for suction cleaners, the combination with dirt-separating filter bag, a dirt receptacle communicating with said filter bag through an opening toward which the dirt progresses naturally, a dirt compacting member mounted adjacent the entrance to said receptacle to force dirt therein and means operated by the manual propulsion of said cleaner to actuate said dirtcompacting means to feed the dirt from said bag into said receptacle.

2. In a dirt-compacting device. for suction cleaners, the combination with dirt-separating means including afiltcr bag, a dirt receptacle communicating with said filter bag through an opening toward which the dirt is advanced by gravity, a compacting member mounted adjacent the entrance to said receptacle constructed and arranged to force dirt from said bag into said receptacle, and means operative to actuate said compacting member to force the dirt into said receptacle.

3. In a dirt-compacting device for suction cleaners, the combination of a dirt-filtering receptacle, an imperforate dirt-collectingreceptacle the lower end of said dirtopening, a reciprocating compacting member mounted adjacent the opening to said collecting receptacle and movable directly toward and from said receptacle to force dirt thereinto, and

means for actuating said comreceptacle into the collecting receptacle. 4. In a dirt-compacting device for suction I cleaners, the combination with suction-creating means, of a filter bag communicating with said a dirt-collecting receptacle connected with the lower end of said filter bag through a restricted opening, a handle adapted to swing relative to the cleaner body during .cleaning operation, a reciprocating comthe dirt through said opening,

,mounted in the lower end 30 movable in a path adjacent the opening to said pacting member mounted adjacent the opening to said collecting receptacle and adapted to feed and driving means between said handle and said compacting member.

5. In a dirt-compacting device for suction cleaners, the combination with suction-creating ,means, of a filter bag communicating with said suction-creating means, a dirt-collecting receptacle connected with the lower end of said filter bag through a restricted opening, a handle pivotally mounted on the cleaner body, a reciprocating compacting member mounted adjacent the opening to said collectingreceptacle, and means connecting said handle with said compacting member, whereby the swinging movement of said handle is transmitted to said compacting member to feed the dirt continuously from said filter bag into said receptacle during cleaner operation.

6. In a dirt-compacting device for suction cleaners, the combination of a cleaner body housing suction-creating means, a handle pivotally mounted on said cleaner body, a filter bag communicating with said suction-creating means and supported beneath said handle, a dirt-collecting receptacle mounted adjacent the lower end of said filter bag with a restricted opening ,there-' between, and a reciprocating compacting plunger of said filter bag and dirt receptacle and having operative connection with the handle. 1

7. In a dirt-compacting device for suction cleaners, the combination with a cleaner body.

including a fan chamber rotative about a horizontal transverse axis and having a radially disposed discharge passage, a hollow handle forming an extension of said discharge passage, a dirt bag mounted beneath said handle and connected with said discharge passage, a frame carried by said handle and adapted to support the open lower end of said bag, said frame having a funnel-shaped portion terminating in a restricted discharge opening, a dirt-collecting receptacle mounted beneathsaid bag supporting frame, a reciprocating compacting plunger supported by said frame, and means for transmitting the swinging movement of said handle to said reciprocating plunger including .a fixed gear sector mounted on meshing with saidgear sector and mechanism for converting the rotary movement of said pinion during the relative movement of said handle and said frame to a reciprocating movement for actuating said plunger.

8. In a dirt-compacting device for suction cleaners, the combination of a wheeled carriage, a fan chamber supported on said carriage for rotative movement about a horizontal transverse axis and having a radially disposed discharge passage and a hollow handle forming an extension of said discharge passage, a dirt bag mounted beneath said handle and connected at the upper end of said conduit, a frame mounted beneath said discharge passage and supporting the open lower end of said bag, a dirt-collecting receptacle mounted beneath said bag supporting frame and connected 7 with said bag through a restricted opening in said frame, a reciprocating compacting plunger supported within the ,lower portion of said filter bag, and means for transmitting the swinging movement of said handle to said reciprocating plunger, comprising a gear sector mounted on the carriage, a pinion meshing with' said gear sector and mechanism for converting the cleaner frame, a pinionthe alternately reversing rotary movement imparted to said pinion during the relative movement of said handle to rotative movement in one direction for imparting a reciprocating movement to said plunger.

9. In a dirt-compacting device for suction cleaners, the combination of a wheeled carriage, afan chamber supported onsaid carriage for rotative movement about a horizontal transverse axis and having a radially disposed discharge passage and a hollow handle forming an extension of said discharge passage, a dirt bag mounted beneath said handle and connected at the upper end of said conduit, a frame mounted beneath said discharge passage and supporting the open lower end of said bag, a dirt-collecting receptacle mounted beneath said bagsupporting frame'and connected with said bag through a restricted opening in said frame, a reciprocating compacting plunger supported within the lower portion of said filter bag, and means for transmitting the swinging movement of said handle to said reciprocating plunger, comprising a gear sector mounted on the carriage, a driving shaft, a pinion on said driving shaft meshing with said gear sector, a driven shaft, bevel gears loosely mounted on said driven shaft and meshing with a bevel gear on said driving shaft, clutches intermediate said bevel gears and said driven shaft and adapted to convert the alternately reversing rotation of said driving shaft to a rotation of said driven shaft in one direction, a crank on said driven shaft, and a connecting rod between said crank and saidplunger.

10. In a suction cleaner of the type having suction-creating means and a filter bag connected thereto, an air-impervious container interiorly connected to the lower part of said bag at which foreign material normally collects in cleaner operation, means to force such foreign material from the lower part of said bag into said container, and means to actuate said last-mentioned means.

I 11. In a suction cleaner of the type having suction-creating means and a dirt bag connected thereto and formed with an open lower part, an air-impervious container interiorly connected to said bag at said lower part, a dirt-compacting element positioned at the lower part of said bag and spaced from the air-filtering walls thereof, said element being mounted for movement in a path to propel foreign material collecting adjacent thereto in said lower part from said lower part and into said receptacle, and means to move said element in said path.

12. The construction recited in the preceding claim characterized in that said means to' move said element in said path include the cleaner handle.

13. In a suction cleaner of the type having a pivoted handle, suction-creating means and dirtiiltering means connected thereto and formed with a dirt-laden air inlet and a foreign material outlet,- an air impervious container removably connected to said dirt-filtering means at said exhaust, dirt-conveying means to move collected foreign material through the exhaust of said dirtfiltering means into said container, and means actuated by said handle in its pivotal movement in cleaner operation to operate said dirt-conveying means. a

14. In a dirt-compacting device for suction cleaners, an ambulatory body, a handle mounted for pivotal movement upon the reciprocation of said body over a surface covering undergoing cleaning, dirt-filtering means carried by said body, an air-impervious receptacle interiorly connected to said dirt-filtering means, dirt-conveying means to propel collected foreign material from said dirt-filtering means into said receptacle, and power-transmitting means connecting said handle to said dirt-conveying-means to actuate the latter upon the pivotal movement of the former.

15. In a dirt-compacting device for suction cleaners, an ambulatory body, a handle mounted for pivotal movement upon the reciprocation of said body over a surface covering undergoing cleaning, dirt-filtering means carried by said body, an air-impervious receptacle interiorly connected tosaid dirt-filtering means, reciprocating dirt-propelling means to propel foreign material from said dirt-filtering means into said receptacle, and power-transmitting means connecting said handle to said conveying means and including intermediate means to translate alternate rotation in two directions into continuous rotationlin a single direction. 1 

